QUESTIONS

Centennial College is launching a new industry training course of interest to taxi drivers, as well as Uber and Lyft operators, who wish to earn an “accessible endorsement” on their vehicle-for-hire (VfH) licence.

The two-day course, taught at the college’s Ashtonbee Campus in Scarborough, provides drivers with disability awareness, legal requirements and practical training on the proper methods for assisting passengers with disabilities and wheelchair securement in vehicles.

“Anyone who takes our training and completes our certificate can get an official endorsement from the City of Toronto recognizing them as an accessible driver,” says Janna Erichsen, Chair of Part-time Learning in Centennial’s School of Transportation. “We are one of only three organizations authorized by the city to teach the course.”

Centennial worked with Spinal Cord Injury Ontario to develop accessible vehicle curriculum that meets the strict standards set out by the City of Toronto’s licensing and standards department. All of the course instructors and classroom demonstrators have a “lived experience,” that is, possess a disability and have first-hand experience using accessible services.

Centennial’s Accessible Vehicle Training course takes 12 hours to complete and is taught over a Saturday and Sunday to accommodate working drivers. Learners demonstrate their knowledge of the subject matter by writing an exam at the end of the course.